The Uganda National Examinations Board has released the 2025 Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) results, showing an overall improvement in performance and a rise in the number of students qualifying for university admission.
While announcing the results on Friday, 13 March, UNEB reported that 68.6 percent of candidates obtained the minimum requirement for admission to degree programmes at universities. This means 113,291 students scored at least two Principal passes, the standard qualification for university entry. The figure marks an increase from 92,273 candidates (65.5 percent) who qualified in 2024.
The number of students sitting for the examination also rose significantly. A total of 166,400 candidates registered for the 2025 UACE exams, up from 141,996 in 2024. Among them were 72,764 females (43.7 percent) and 93,636 males (56.3 percent).
Education officials say the higher number of qualifying candidates could require universities to expand available spaces by more than 21,000 to accommodate the increased demand for admission.
When the criteria used by other tertiary institutions is considered—where students need at least one Principal pass and two Subsidiary passes—about 145,129 candidates, representing 87.9 percent, qualify for diploma-level programmes in institutions such as technical and vocational colleges.
The results also show improved performance in several subjects, particularly Mathematics, Chemistry, Agriculture, Geography, Economics, Biology, and Literature in English.
According to UNEB statistics, 41.7 percent of candidates obtained three Principal passes, while 26.9 percent secured two Principal passes and 19.3 percent earned one Principal pass. Another 11 percent attained a Subsidiary pass, while only 1.1 percent failed to qualify for the UACE certificate.
The results further indicate that female candidates performed better proportionally in many subjects and levels, especially in Humanities, Mathematics, General Paper, and Information and Communication Technology. However, male candidates still dominated the top “A” grades in Mathematics and other science subjects, largely due to higher male enrolment in STEM disciplines.
Participation from students with special needs was also recorded. A total of 540 candidates under Special Needs Education sat the examinations, with male and female numbers nearly equal. Most of them successfully obtained Principal or Subsidiary passes.
The examinations also included candidates from Luzira Upper Prison, where 70 inmates registered for the exams and 68 eventually sat for them. More than 90 percent of these candidates qualified for the UACE certificate.
Despite the overall improvement, UNEB noted that students still face challenges in applying scientific knowledge practically and demonstrating strong analytical and evaluative skills in Humanities subjects.
Cases of examination malpractice remained relatively low. UNEB recorded 351 suspected cases across 47 examination centres, representing just 0.2 percent of all candidates. Investigations are ongoing, and results for those implicated will remain withheld until the process is completed.
Schools can already access the results through their examination centre portals, while printed copies will be available at UNEB offices in Kyambogo next week. Candidates can also check their individual results by sending an SMS with the word “UACE” followed by their index number to 6600 using either MTN Uganda or Airtel Uganda networks.
